


Steady Beat Goes

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, At whatever point you want, Broganes implied, Cannon Verse, Comforting Keith, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Panicked Lance, Team Bonding, Temporary Character Death, They are so loving with each other, Trigger by silence, gays in space, supportive boys, supportive team, vague panic attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 01:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9524936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Keith frowns confused and turns around quickly, any grogginess in him vanishing as he takes in the sight of Lance’s empty side of the bed.(The one time where Lance hides his fears good, fools everyone including his boyfriend, but it gets to much one night. It's okay, though, because said boyfriend got it covered.)(And that other time when he can't find comfort because his boyfriends heart is silent.)





	1. Steady Beat Goes

**Author's Note:**

> This was in my drafts. It may not be good but honestly I was like "whateveeeeeeeeeeeer" someone may like my crappy thingy.
> 
> Disclaimer: Voltron doesn't belong to me share la la la ba ha la.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [...] 1,2,3,4

Something in the air shifts and it’s unsettling enough for Keith to open his eyes.

He blinks a few times, adjusting his eyes around the darkness in the room and he vaguely notices that it’s still night time because the artificial sun rays in the castle are not present.

Yawning loudly, face still facing the wall, he raises an arm and throws it backwards, fully expecting it to hit another body but it only meets air until it drops against the mattress floppily.

Keith frowns confused and turns around quickly, any grogginess in him vanishing as he takes in the sight of Lance’s empty side of the bed.

Scowling and beating himself up on the inside, Keith throws the blankets off him. He knew Lance was acting strange when they went to sleep; something in the way he moved had been off, almost as if the brunet had been tense and yet restless, not being able to stay still, laughing nervously and changing the subject when Keith brought it up.

He knows the reason of his boyfriend’s sudden disappearance and he curses in his mind. Without wasting any time, he’s out of the room in search of his boyfriend, still beating himself up for not speaking up earlier.

Here’s the thing: every room inside the castle is soundproof, something that had probably been a blessing back in the time when the castle had been filled with Alteans and foreign guests from other planets; holding banquets and big balls for different kinds of celebrations. 

But now, with the total of seven people living in such a big space, is not enough to fill the emptiness that echoes in the castle; lonely and forgotten hallways that no one has walked on in centuries, big and wide rooms shinning as if they had been recently cleaned but in reality haven’t been touched in lifetimes.

It can get unnerving, because if one stays still for more than ten minutes, they will soon hear the soft humming of the silence that wanders in the deepest parts of the Castle and for a terrifying second, one can easily get confused and think they are actually floating outside in the vast cold space that lingers outside the door.

It’s not as disturbing during their day time; their Paladin’s activities always had them running around and doing something and whatnot. Even when they’re able to have a break, they still spend it together, let it be on the living room or the resting area where their pool is –that room had been both a pleasant and disappointed surprise when the pool turned out to be on the ceiling– chatter and laughing always present when the group was together.

It’s the night time when it gets a little more difficult to avoid the silence.

Keith’s not really always aware of it. He can be lazing around in the living with a book and Lance’s head on his lap while the brunet listens to his music through Pidge’s headphones and Keith can be perfectly fine if not a little surprised when someone from the team enters the room and asks why it’s so quiet in there.

Keith doesn’t notice the silence because he’s a quiet guy. He’s reserved when meeting new people and he takes his time to open up. Besides, it’s not like the desert is talkative; Keith was good around silence, it keeps his senses strong and alert, allowing him to listening for any changes around him that might be dangerous.

On the other hand, with Lance is different, and it took Keith a while to realize this.

The Blue Paladin grew up with sound: screaming, yelling, humming, laughter, shouts, banter, bickering, whining, groaning, squeals, giggling, etc.

Lance once told him it was because he grew up with a house full of family members that didn’t know what an ‘inner voice’ was at all. If the little kids weren’t screaming during their playtime, it was his mom yelling in kitchen or his older siblings’ booming music coming from their room or the playful wrestling sounds of his uncles and his dad from the living room.

His house was always alive with noise and that’s only one of the reasons on why it hits Lance hard that they are not in earth anymore; that this big white castle is not full of people he grew up with, that he’s not going to turn a corner and expect a sibling almost colliding with him by accident, that he’s not going to hear the snores from his older brother or the giggles between his teenage sister and her friends sneaking in the house at midnight during a school night.

Lance had told him that’s why he used Pidge’s headphones so often in the beginning, before he was informed that he needed to be able to hear the castle alarm, something that the headphones blocked efficiently.

After an honest and private discussion with both Allura and Shiro, the two leaders of the team reassured him that they could work on something. That same afternoon, Coran announced that all of their rooms, while still being soundproof, had small speakers installed on them, allowing them to choose whatever tune of their preference without disturbing anyone from the outside.

Explaining that whatever tune playing through the speakers would cut off if the castle’s alarm ever went off, allowing them to fulfill their duties as Paladins, Lance bounced with excitement and hugged the ginger man tightly.

If tiny tears gathered around the corner of his blue eyes at the news, no one said anything.

That’s how Lance ended up sleeping soundly during the night and how Keith finally heard what the ocean sounded like.

Keith had asked him that very same night when Lance choose the tune of preference why the ocean. It seemed like a stupid question, even Lance pointed it out, having in mind that the brunet is the Guardian of Water, but he still answered with a soft smile and fond gaze.

“It reminds me of home.” He had whisper, short and simple, as he pulled Keith towards him and both of them fell on backwards on the bed, chuckling and kissing playfully with the echoes of waves and seagulls on the background.

It was a fair arrangement, and the effect on the team was noticeable, especially on Lance. His moves were more precise and focused. His balance was on point and his shooting became more agile and sharp.

Of course that always ended with Lance bragging about his new ‘awesomeness’ but none of them could really take that away from him, they just felt glad that Lance was having enough sleep and peaceful rest. 

That is until the Galra messed it up and fucked up their sound system. It happened during the last battle they had, when the castle took more damage than usual. It was later after they used a wormhole to leave the battle behind that Pidge notified them of the damages, saying it might take a few days before they would be able to fix the problem, sending Lance an apology glance before following Coran out of the room in hopes to fix it before night time.

A week has gone by and the sound system is still off.

Lance had reassured them that he was fine, and they believed him, being fooled by a big grin and bright eyes.

Keith likes to take pride that he knows Lance, okay? They have been together for a long time now –six months, four weeks and three days; but who’s counting? Keith is. – and it’s that very same fact that pisses him so much; the fact that he, Keith Kogane, Lance’s boyfriend, didn’t catch Lance’s slips ups or the tiny twitching on his eye whenever the team started to leave the room, or how he seemed jumpier than usual.

Keith fast pace echoes around the hallways, popping his head from room to room, whispering Lance’s name as loud as he could during the night, because he didn’t want to wake up the rest of the team, but as he went deeper into the castle, the louder the got.

He was panting and sweating by the fifteenth room, groaning annoyed before light besides him lights up suddenly.

Arching an eyebrow at the sudden brightness around him, a place comes to mind and he ignores his thought of how it’s funny that his brain lighted up by a light, quite literally.

He heads towards observatory.

* * *

There’s a buzzing sound in his ear.

It’s annoying and constant. It blocks everything around him and yet Lance’s able to faintly hear his own breathing.

It’s erratic and the air he basically gulps is not enough. His lungs doesn’t expand, if anything, they just feels like they’re getting smaller and compressing against each other, battling for the much needed air they crave.

Lance is, honest to God, trying to control it. He hasn’t had a panic attack since they started, not even when the team tried to infiltrate Zarkon’s main base. Fair, he has been tense and scared but not panicked.

It was the silence that triggered him.

The damn and stupid silence and Lance can’t help but to beat himself over the fact. He can’t believe that it only takes silence for the Blue Paladin of Voltron to break down and sob like a little kid.

He had been fine. He had been fine for days now. Sure, he was jumpier and tense but he was in control. He had been handling it well, keeping close the only to things that helped him anchor himself: the hope of having the ocean back soon and Keith.

His boyfriend had paid him extra attention since the sound system went out of commission, which only made Lance more stubborn on showing that everything was fine and he was handling.

He doesn’t know how it happened. One second he was sleeping soundlessly besides Keith on their bedroom and the next thing he knows his jolting wide awake, breathing ragged and broken.

He left the room and somehow he ended up in –damn, he doesn’t even know where he is. Lance would scoff annoyed if he could because he’s so lost.

He’s mad. He’s angry at himself  and he’s so desperate to make the buzzing sound to go away that he doesn’t notices when everything turns blurry and suddenly, he’s on the floor, with no one around and he’s suffocating and he can’t –

A sudden warm pressure appears on his shoulder, followed by another against his left cheek.

The buzzing sound is still there but Lance can finally make out other sounds besides that. It’s a voice, muffled and faint, but a voice nonetheless, and it soft and soothing enough for him to understand it easily.

“Lance,” it says, still calm and gentle, “Are you with me?”

Lance nods shakily and slowly, but the person in front of him catches it and continues.

“Good.” They whisper and then Lance feels the hand on his shoulder disappear and he almost whines at the loss before the same warm hand grabs his own and guides it until it’s resting against a soft fabric.

The buzzing sound is gone and it’s replaced by an entirely different kind of sound. It’s soothing, soft and steady, almost like a song being hummed.

It’s then when Lance realizes it’s a heartbeat.

“Can you hear my heartbeat?” They ask and Lance nods, still in a daze, “Good. Just focus on my heartbeat, okay? Follow its lead.” And he does.

He loses track of the time. All that he’s aware of is the steady heartbeat on his fingertips and palm, beating fast and comforting. Lance’s blue eyes are firmly placed against the spot, where his cinnamon skinned hand is being pressed against the black clothing with a pale hand over his own.

Lance can’t help but to think that it’s a lovely skin contrast.

Something pops and then steady breathing makes way into his ear. Lance’s pleased to notices that it’s his own.

Letting out a shaky laugh under his breath, the brunet is finally able to raise his face and something inside him turns pleasantly when he meets Keith’s gray eyes.

“There you are.” Keith mumbles, shoulders relaxing and leaning forwards, bumping Lance’s forehead against his own. “Hello there.”

Lance smiles widely and nuzzles his boyfriend’s face. “Hi yourself.”

“You feeling better?” Keith whispers, well aware that they’re still in their own bubble, and Lance nods.

“So much better. Thank you, Amor.” Keith smiles at him and uses the hand that’s still on Lance’s cheek to wipe some stray tears from his face.

“Anytime, Nae Sa-rang.” He replies, dropping a gentle kiss on both Lance’s eye lids, “Anytime.”

It takes a while before they stand up, taking comfort on each other’s company before they decide it’s time to head back.

Soft laughter and playful banter bounces around the room as they make their way towards their room with their hands still intertwined together.

“Okay, let’s think of a way to fix this while the Science Side of Voltron fix the sound system, alright?” Keith suggests, sitting on the edge of the bed and tapping his chin, deep in thought, “Maybe we can get Pidge’s headphones? If something happens I’ll be sure to wake you up, so it shouldn’t be a problem or maybe we can –“

A warm chuckles cuts him off and Keith turns his head to meet Lance’s eyes.

He’s smiling tenderly at him, only growing fonder and brighter when he notices Keith’s eyes are on him. “Hey,” He calls softly, leaning closer to his boyfriend and dropping his head on his shoulder, “I got all I need right here.”

Keith arches an eyebrow confused at the statement but then Lance raises his hand and puts it above Keith’s chest, sighing contently when the steady beat makes its way to his ears.

Keith blushes and gulps, eyes unable to take them off his boyfriend. He debates with himself if he should move now so they can be laying down instead of sitting but Lance’s face is so mesmerizing and he can’t look away because this beautiful person saw something in him that thought he was worth loving and Keith’s so incredible lucky to have him in his life and –

“Okay, now you’re just like a race car. Take it easy, Cowboy.”

Keith blushes even more at Lance’s playful tease and he lowers his gaze, meeting a pair of blue eyes.

“I felt that skipped beat, buddy.”

“Shut up.” Keith whines, dropping his head and hiding himself in Lance’s hair, smiling when he feels Lance’s laughter against him.

The ocean is not there that night with them to lure them to sleep, but that’s okay, because Lance found a better sound that sounds a little bit more like home.


	2. A Steady Heart Goes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [...] I love you more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, alright, okay, okay, alright.
> 
> This was not my fault, you can all blame that Comment left by Bubble who said, and I quote, 'imagine if Keith got hurt during battle and Lance couldn't hear his heartbeat.' so, technically this is their fault. 
> 
> And yeah sure, also mine for writing it but you can handle it right? Right.
> 
> Disclaimer: Voltron doesn't belong to me and neither does Steady 1234 song from Vice.

Something in the air shifts and then Lance’s jolting wide awake.

The brunet coughs a few times, the smoke around him making it hard to get some air to his lungs, and with his helmet missing, there’s no way to block the black clouds of the explosion.

Lance’s eyes snap open at the thought.

The rescue mission. Teams of two. The Galra’s infiltration. The trap. The set-up. The explosion. The shoving. The pained scream.

 _Keith_.

“Keith.” Lance gasps and then coughs wetly. He curses under his breath and tries to spit out some of the mucus that is on the back of his throat. “Keith.” He tries again, eyes darting from one side to another.

The smoke is faintly clearing out, allowing him to finally see the purple and black walls of the Galra’s ship. With a grunt, Lance pushes himself of the ground, legs shaking weakly under his own body weight before making him fall against the floor once again.

Another curse leaves his mouth in frustration but it’s not even a second later when he’s pushing once more. “Come on, come on.” He stresses out, breathing ragged and elaborated. He tries to lean his body to the side, pleased when his shoulder meets the wall and it’s enough for him to stand up easier.

“Aw, yeah.” He praises himself, grinning faintly in satisfaction at his victory before he raises his gaze and his blue eyes meet a limp unmoving body on the floor a few feet from him.

His heart skips a beat and suddenly he’s running, stumbling and almost tripping as he makes his way to the unmoving form of the Red Paladin, groaning and panting as he dodges the rock and metal rumbles on the floor.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no.” Lance murmurs as he drops on his knees besides his boyfriend, “Keith, baby, say something, please, come on.” He begs, pulling Keith’s face away from the floor and turning him around towards him, gently dropping him on his lap.

Lance’s heart skips another beat when Keith’s head rolls backwards, silently and limp.

“Babe.” Lance stutters quietly, “Keith, babe, please.” He whispers brokenly, patting’s Keith’s cheek softly in hopes to get a reaction from that, “Please, please, please, please.”

 _‘Focus.’_ Lance’s mind screams at him, _‘Focus. Remember Shiro’s training on emergency medical help. Something something breathing something something pinching nose something CPR something heart pumping –‘_

His thoughts stop short.

“Oh, god.” The brunet freezes for a spilt of a second before his hands find their way to Keith’s neck, ignoring the way the black haired man’s head turned easily to the side at the soft pushing, almost lifelessly, and he presses two digits against it.

 _‘Where is it?’_ Lance panics in his mind, moving his fingers around his boyfriend’s neck, _‘Where the fuck is it?’_

‘Baby, come on. Come on, please, _come on_.” Lance breaths out, shaking his head vigorously when his tears make his vision blurry. “Where is it, babe? _Where is your heartbeat_?”

He gets no answer. He gets no breathing. No gasping. No fluttering eye lids with dark blue eyes behind them. No shaky warm smile.  No whispers of his name. _No heartbeat._

Lance doesn’t knowledge he’s screaming until he hears hurried footsteps behind him.

He’s cradling Keith’s face against his chest, tears flowing freely on his cheeks and barely noticing how they fall on Keith’s pale cheek. He’s right out sobbing with pleads and prays, begging for a breath, for a heartbeat, for _something_.

He panics and trashes when something pulls him backwards, when something steals Keith’s body from his arms and then he meet’s Shiro’s gray eyes.

“Shiro!” He shouts desperately, “Shiro, please! Please, he’s – Keith’s not –! Shiro!” He can’t even make a coherent sentence, because his thoughts are just revolving around Keith’s pale face, Keith’s unmoving chest and Keith’s closed eyes.

Lance just keeps screaming a combination of Shiro’s name and Keith’s. Because Shiro’s here, Shiro’s their leader, Shiro’s their protector, Shiro’s their pillar, Shiro’s their hope, who makes everything alright, Shiro’s –

Shiro’s looking down at Keith sadly as he rubs his thumb over his dirty cheek and something inside Lance breaks when he notices the silent tear falling from their fearless leader eye.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no.” Lance sobs out, suddenly aware of the arms wrapped around him, vaguely noticing the yellow color on the strong arms that hold him down as he trashes, “No, no, no, SHIRO! NO! PLEASE –KEITH! NO!”

There’s that damn buzzing sound again. It rings in his ears loud and clear, blocking efficiently the shouts and screams of his teammates around him. Their voices are muffled by it and Lance’s unable to concentrate. His eyes are firmly placed on Keith’s limp form in Shiro’s arms.

The buzzing sound grows louder, the voices disappear, and suddenly there’s no air around him. There’s dark smoke on the corner of his eyes because it takes over his entire vision and then he falls.

* * *

He jolts awake.

“Woah, woah, woah!” A familiar voice says next to him, and then there are two hands on both of his shoulders, “Lance, buddy, I need you to take a breath and follow my lead, alright? Can you do that?”

Lance just nods shakily, eyes wide and staring at the wall in front of him, his hands gripping the bed sheets on him.

“Alright, let’s start with a breath, ready?” This time he doesn’t nod but he feels the pushing of the person to follow his instruction, so he does.

He follows the person’s besides him instructions: Inhale, count five heartbeats. Hold breath, count seven heartbeats. Exhale, count nine heartbeats.

He can faintly hear the praise he gets a few minutes in the exercise. He’s on his third round when he recognizes the tactic he’s doing: it’s Hunk’s breathing exercise he always puts Lance through when the brunet is having an episode.

He exhales for one final time and then blinks. He waits a second before raising his head to meet Hunk’s concern face and the engineer gives him a small comforting smile.

“Hey, buddy, you got it.” He says quietly, rubbing Lance’s arm in soothing motions and Lance just stares at him for a second before tears start falling down.

“Hunk.” His voice cracks and then he sobs, the sound echoing around the silent room, followed by two, then three, then four until it becomes a chain.

Hunk sighs softly and then gathers his best friend in his arms, letting the brunet to hide his face against the crook of his neck as he wraps his arms around his thin frame, rubbing his back soothingly.

“W-what…” Lance coughs, his voice catching up on him.

Hunk shushes him gently, “You went into shock. Your body was under a lot of stress not to mention it was exhausted and injured. It was a lot to take in so your brain decided to just shut down.”

“You were in the healing pod for a few ticks,” Hunk continues, softly and slowly, “You weren’t that bad, you just needed rest, that much was clear when you didn’t wake up when you fell out the cry-pod. That was a few hours ago, you been sleeping for a half a day.”

“Keith?” Lance whispers, face still pressed against his best friend’s neck and he feels Hunk tense at the question, “Hunk, please.”

“Alive.” Hunk answers simply, short and quick, and it leaves Lance with a heavy heart.

“Take me there.”  He says, pushing himself off.

“Lance –“

“Take me there.” He repeats meeting’s Hunk’s eyes and narrowing his eyes in determination, a promise of going to the med bay with or without his help shinning in his blue eyes.

Hunk sighs again, dropping his shoulders and then standing up from the bed, turning around and giving his friend his back, crouching a little.

“Alright, fine.” He says, turning his head to his side to meet Lance’s surprise face, “I’m not gonna let you walk with those chicken wobbly legs; piggy back it is.”

Lance’s mouth twitches upward for a second and then nods, sliding down the bed and then settling himself on his friend’s back.

The way to the medic bay is silent. Lance’s chin is on Hunk’s shoulder as Hunk walks calmly. It doesn’t take long before they arrive and the first thing that Lance sees is Shiro’s form in front of an active cry-pod.

Shiro turns at the sound of the door opening and his gaze softens when he meet’s Lance’s eyes. Pidge’s on the floor next to the cry-pod, laptop on her lap and not bothering to look up from the screen.

Lance slips down from Hunk’s back smoothly enough and while waving his friend’s hand away, he walks towards them, stopping short a few feet from Keith’s sleeping form inside the pod, right besides Shiro, and he just stares at his boyfriend through the glass.

“Lance –“ Shiro’s words are cut off when Lance raises his fist and launches at him.

Shiro easily dodges the punch, being careful when he grips Lance’s wrist and pulls him close to him.

“You – He –You didn´t –“ Lance stutters, panting and sweating from the abrupt movement, “He didn’t – I couldn’t –“ Shiro just hums, pulling the young teen closer to him.

“Shiro –“ Lance whines brokenly and Shiro shushes him.

“I know, buddy.” He whispers, stroking the short brown hair, “I know, it’s okay.”

“I’m sorry.” Lance croaks out, his arms falling limp against his sides and falling forwards, pushing himself more against Shiro’s chest.

“Not your fault.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“ _Not your fault_.”

“He wasn’t breathing.” He whispers, voice muffled against his leader’s chest, “He wasn’t breathing or moving. His heartbeat – God, Shiro, his _hearbeat_.”

“We got him back.” Shiro reassurance gently, “We got him back, buddy. We got his heartbeat back.”

Lance’s body falls in relief at the words, almost falling to the floor if it wasn’t for Shiro’s strong grip on him.

“Oh thank god – Fuck, thank you, thank you.” He chants under his breath, and Shiro hums.

They stay in silence for a few more ticks, and Lance’s is glad when Shiro starts humming under his breath, probably an old Japanese lullaby, something Shiro started doing when one of them was feeling down.

It was comforting, because it distracted Lance from the beeping sound coming from Keith’s pod and the buzzing noise in his ear.

“How long?” He murmurs quietly, turning his head so he can stare at Keith’s form.

“Not sure.” Shiro answers honestly, “You should get some rest.”

“I just woke up.”

“I meant more, Lance. Your –“

“No.”

“Lance –“

“No, I can’t – I – Keith’s –“ Lance sighs and hides his face again on Shiro’s shoulder, “I can’t, please don’t make me.”

Shiro sighs defeated but nods.

“Alright, but we are getting some food in you, Mister. No arguments.”

“Way ahead of you, Shiro.” Hunk says, entering the med bay and Lance blinks confused on when the heck did he left to get the food now on his hands, “Here you go, buddy, just made and still warm.”

“Thanks.” Lance answers softly, accepting the food.

Hunk nods at him satisfied when Lance takes a small bite to the food and then turns to Shiro, “I haven’t forgot about you, Mister. Come on, eat up, you haven’t left this room since we brought him.”

Shiro chuckles tiredly and takes the offering food. “Thank you, Hunk.”

“The good news is that Emo Boy over here is doing well.” Pidge’s voice says and three pairs of eyes fall on her small form on the floor, “His vitals are growing and his breathing along with his heartbeat have turn stable and steady.” She stops typing on her laptop to look up at them and offers a relived smile, “He’s going to be fine.”

The three of them return the smile and then their eyes fall on the sleeping paladin.

“He’s going to be fine.” Lance repeats quietly for himself.

* * *

Lance is wide awake.

He’s on his room, faking that he’s resting upon his friends’ request, but he’s been cupped up inside these four walls for hours now and sleep hasn’t come near him in the slightest.

During those hours, the castle has turn silent, announcing night time casually, and Lance’s breath had hitched for a few seconds before he exhaled shakily.

He began to repeat Hunk’s breathing exercise over and over again. There’s still the buzzing sound in his ear but he’s doing a good job on ignoring it and concentrating in his breathing.

He has his sleeping mask on, because darkness somehow helps him to clear his mind and that’s good for his concentration, but he tries really hard on not to think about Keith’s pale face, both on the dirty floor of the Galra’s ship and on the cry-pod.

Something shifts around him but Lance ignores it, too focused on his exercise to notices how the door of his room opens with a _swoosh_.

Lance’s hand is firmly place on his own chest, right above his heart, and he counts under his breath after every beat.

He inhales, “One, two, three, four, five.” He mumbles quietly and then holds it, continuing the counting on his head and then he exhales, “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.”

It’s not…the same, but if he thinks hard enough, he can fool himself that he’s listening to Keith’s heartbeat instead of his own.

Inhale, “One, two, three, four, five.” Holds it, and then –

A warm hand takes his from his chest and one second later, it’s pressed against a different but familiar firm chest.

“One,” a beat, “Two,” another, “Three,” and another, “Four,” someone counts gently until seven and then, “Exhale.”

Lance exhales and props himself on his arms. With his free hand he removes the sleeping mask from his eyes.

“Hi, baby.” Keith whispers, smiling tenderly and lovingly at him with shiny eyes and Lance chokes.

“Keith.” He tries but the tired looking black haired man shushes him gently.

“I know.” He says, his thump rubbing the top of Lance’s hand, still pressed against his chest, over his heart, “I know, just follow its lead, okay?”

He follows it. Lance can feel the missing heartbeat and it’s so familiar and so comforting that it spreads warmth all over Lance’s body.

The brunet laughs softly before he leans forwards, his free hand cupping Keith’s cheek as he drops butterflies kisses all over his boyfriend’s face.

“How?” He questions and Keith hums.

“I got out a few minutes ago, and Shiro helped me to get here.”

“You fucking ass.” Lance chuckles, well aware of the wide grin he’s wearing, “You damn edgy reckless emo dude, I fucking hate you, god.”

Keith laughs right back at him, snickering and closing one eye when Lance’s lips press themselves against his eye lid. “Come on, I got back from the dead, where’s my parade?”

“Oh, I will give you a parade, emo boy.” Lance teases weakly, dropping another kiss against his boyfriend’s forehead before nuzzling his face against it. “I was so scared, Keith, _fucking hell_ , I –“

“I know, I know.” Keith cuts him off gently, “It’s over, Lance. We survived, I’m okay, you’re okay. It’s over.”

Lance sighs and drops his head slightly, meeting Keith’s lips half way.

They move slow, barely with a rhythm, but that’s okay, because Lance gasps into the kiss when Keith’s lips move against his own in a familiar way and he can feel Keith’s heart racing as their kiss goes on and he’s smiling and crying and just overwhelmed with how much he loves this beautiful person.

“I love you.” He says, needing to let it out, and he kisses Keith’s stunned face, “I love you, I love you.” He chants with emotion and truth.

“I love you too.” Keith answers, fondly rubbing Lance’s cheek with his thump, “I love you so damn much.”

They kiss and lose track of the time. It’s probably the middle of the night by now, the artificial lights around them start getting dimmer by the second but somehow, Keith’s still able to catch Lance’s bright blue eyes on the dark.

“How about we get some sleep? You’re probably exhausted.” Keith says, and raises an eyebrow when Lance shakes his head.

“Fuck sleep.” He says stubbornly, kissing Keith’s neck and shoulder, “I’m not sleeping tonight, na-huh. I’m gonna keep kissing you until morning comes and even after that.”

Keith rolls his eyes but hums, “If you say so, _ae-in_.”

Fifteen minutes later and Keith rolls his eyes yet again when he hears the snores of his boyfriend, his mop of brown hair tucked against the crook of his neck, cinnamon skinned hand still on his chest and Keith just smiles lovingly at the sleeping brunet on his arms.

His steady beat goes on throughout the night.

 


End file.
